8 gigabits per second at 2400 or 16 gigabits per second at 2133
8 gigabits per second at 2400 or 16 gigabits per second at 2133
I just discovered an 8GB stick in an old computer, but it's spinning at 2133Hz while your existing 8GB runs at 2400Hz. Do you think it's worth sacrificing some speed for an extra 8GB? I play games on it and am worried about your motherboard's dual-channel support, especially since it's an older build from a prebuilt PC. You don't have the part number.
You're operating with just one stick, meaning you'll be using single channel. The performance gap versus dual channel is significant—you're essentially halving your memory speed. Unless you're experiencing more than half of the memory clock loss, this setup will still be faster overall.
This also means switching from single to dual channel provides a major boost in performance. In most setups, without dual channels, the memory controller isn't doing much.
I faced a comparable setup before. My old gaming laptop ran at 6300HQ+1050, using the provided 1x 8GB 2400C17 RAM. I also had a spare 8GB 2133C15 unit. After installing it, both systems operated smoothly at the 2133C15 speed. It's a typical JEDEC standard configuration, widely compatible with most mainstream DDR4 modules. What changed? Non-memory bandwidth tasks showed minimal impact. Tasks dependent on bandwidth saw noticeable gains. Keep in mind this was on a quad-core processor; newer chips will struggle more with limited RAM speed. Also, 8GB is often insufficient today, making 16GB a worthwhile upgrade.
16 GB dual channel RAM is the essential amount you need in 2024.